


A Friend In Need

by HannahKotoba



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen, Nonbinary Character, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-06 12:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6754441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HannahKotoba/pseuds/HannahKotoba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Ezra practices unsafe binding methods and Hera knows more than you'd think about the subject.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place pretty early on in Season 1, so take that into consideration when reading.

"Ezra, you need to get up!" Hera knocked on the cabin door for what felt like the fifth time that morning. If it was Zeb, she would have dragged him out of the bed by the scruff of his neck by now. But Ezra was new to the crew; so she was trying to go easy on him for now, to give him time to adapt. That didn't mean she wasn't going to be strict with him if he tested her, though.

Getting no response, she opened the door. "Seriously, Ezra--" She stopped in her tracks, and they both stared for a moment. Ezra was sitting on his bunk, half-dressed. His shirt was still in his hands, and instead his chest was covered in tightly-wrapped bandages.

Hera took a moment to collect her thoughts that had basically scattered to the wind at the sight. "Ezra." She slipped into her caring but firm 'mom' voice. "Take the bandages off."

Ezra covered his chest with the shirt in his hands. "What, no! Get out, leave me alone, don't look!"

She shook her head. "You're going to hurt yourself like that. Just take the bandages off, okay? If you need a binder, we can get you one, but doing that can really harm your body."

Ezra simply stared for a moment, surprised. He wasn't really expecting this response. Hera's face softened; he probably hadn't had people supporting him before. "I know how you feel, Ezra, but you'll wind up causing permanent damage like that. Come on, I'm not gonna judge you."

Ezra hesitated for a moment; realizing he was probably self-conscious, Hera turned around so he wouldn't feel watched. Silence for a moment, with only slight shuffling noises; then, Ezra spoke. "Okay, you can look now."

Hera turned around, smiling and doing her best to avoid making him feel any worse about the now-noticeable bumps in his shirt. "There we go. Take a deep breath, okay? You should probably let your body breathe for a little while."

He crossed his arms over his chest somewhat shyly. "...Thanks," he mumbled. "For being so nice about this. No one's ever really done that."

She gave him a sympathetic look. "I know how you feel. When I was younger, it took my father a long time to understand it. But you don't have to worry about it here, okay? None of us are going to judge you."

Ezra seemed surprised at her words. "Wait, Hera? You, you're...?"

"I am." Normally, she wasn't so forthcoming with this information; but Ezra seemed like he needed the support. "You're not alone, okay? We're all here for you."

He seemed lost for words. "I... thank you."

"You're welcome." She turned to leave. "I'll go ask Sabine if she still has her old binder; it'd probably fit you."

"Wait, what?" Ezra sputtered. " _Sabine_? You're telling me that Sabine's also--"

"It's not really my place to tell you everyone's gender," she cut him off, "but I can tell you that you'd be surprised. Who knows? Maybe this ship is magnetic to people like us." There was a playful twinkle in her eyes. "I'll be right back."

Ezra decided then and there that fate was real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time publishing to AO3 (I used to use FF.net, and I mostly publish lately on my Tumblr). I'm considering making a follow-up chapter where Ezra gets to talk to his nonbinary mentor Kanan about some stuff, but who knows? Hopefully this starts a trend for me actually writing and publishing. Forgive any mistakes, it's 3 AM and I'm half asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kanan and Ezra have a talk about gender and the Force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now with 50% more gender talk! Again, I'm super tired as I post this, so if I made any mistakes just ignore them.

After getting the binder to Ezra, Hera made her way to the cockpit of the Ghost, where Kanan was waiting with two cups of caf. Hera took the cup he offered to her, sitting down in her usual seat. “Ezra up yet?” Kanan asked, sipping at his own cup.

“Sort of,” she responded. Her face turned serious for a moment. “Kanan, I caught him binding with bandages.”

His face barely had a moment to register shock before immediately shifting to a resigned look. “You know, I’m not even surprised anymore.”

“I gave him Sabine’s old binder,” she continued. “Kanan, I think you should talk to him.”

“Why me? I don’t know anything about binding.”

“Not about that. He seemed like he was surprised when I talked to him about it. I don’t think he’s ever had anyone support him before about this.”

“Why not have Sabine talk to him about it?” Kanan suggested. “She’s probably got more insight on his issues than I do.”

“You’re his mentor, Kanan,” Hera said. “To be honest, I’m pretty sure he sees you as a fa—“ The word got caught in her throat, and she swallowed it quickly. “—As a parental figure.”

Kanan pinched the bridge of his nose. “You can say ‘father’, you know.”

Hera looked a little guilty. “No, I shouldn’t. It doesn’t feel right if you’re—“

“Not a man, yeah, I get it.” He waved it off. “But I’ve told you before, it doesn’t bother me.”

She still seemed hesitant, but offered him a smile. “I guess that’s all that matters, then. Seriously, Kanan, talk to him. He needs the support.”

Kanan sighed, resigned. “Alright, alright, I’ll talk to him.”

* * *

 

“Sooo.” Ezra stretched as he walked in. “What sort of Jedi training are we doing today?”

“Meditation exercise,” Kanan answered. Ezra groaned.

“Ugh, seriously?”

“Being a Jedi isn’t about fancy lightsaber tricks. It’s about your connection with the Force. Meditating is a chance for you to clear your mind and let the Force flow through you.”

“Really? ‘Cause I don’t see _you_ doing it much.”

 _Busted_. It was true- Kanan didn’t meditate nearly as much as he ought to. He tried his best not to get flustered, moving forward. “Actually, there’s something I should talk to you about.”

“Aren’t you changing the subject?” Ezra asked, looking a little too amused with himself. Kanan ignored him.

“Hera told me about this morning.” Ezra suddenly looked uncomfortable. “How does it fit? You breathing alright?”

Ezra crossed his arms. “I’m fine.” It struck Kanan that Ezra probably still thought he was a cis man. Well, he didn’t exactly do a lot to correct this assumption most of the time; it was a convenient lie, like how not being a Jedi was a convenient lie, even if he would prefer to be open about it.

“Ezra.” He put a hand on Ezra’s shoulder. “I understand.”

Ezra looked up, surprised. “Kanan? Are you… like me?” A clumsy way to word it, but that was Ezra.

“Well, not exactly.” Kanan rubbed the back of his neck. “Gender is kind of like the Force. It’s complicated, and not always black and white.”

“What?” Ezra just looked confused.

“What I’m trying to say is that it’s not always just two options. I mean, I wouldn’t really call myself a man or a woman. I’m more of an in-between.” He wondered if Ezra would understand- even someone who was trans and binary might not understand the concept of a nonbinary identity, after all.

Ezra took a moment. “I think I get it,” he said. “So, what do I call you, then?”

“How about Kanan?” Kanan offered, with that smirk that he always got when he was being smart. “Really, though. It doesn’t change anything. Just treat me how you did before, okay?”

“Really? That’s okay?” There it was again, the same thing Hera did. He understood where they were coming from- it seemed contradictory to consider yourself nonbinary and still use gendered language. But, he was comfortable with how it was, so what did it matter?

“Seriously,” Kanan responded. “It’s just how I work.” Ezra shrugged, accepting it. “Now, come on. We have some meditation to do.”


End file.
